Can It, Bottle It, Smoke It: And Other Kitchen Projects

by Karen Solomon    (Find this book)
Have you ever wanted to . . .
Bottle your own soda? Press your own tofu? Smoke your own cheese? Boil your own bagels? Ferment your own miso? Can your own tomatoes? Roast your own coffee?
"Can It, Bottle It, Smoke It" walks you through a slew of satisfying culinary projects to stock your larder and shower your friends with artisan foods and drinks, kitchen staples, and utterly addictive snacks. Karen Solomon--veteran food writer, kitchen explorer, and author of "Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It"--brings forth a new collection of 75-plus recipes for condiments (Plum Catsup), cereals (Cornflakes), crunchy snacks (Tortilla Chips), beverages (Soy Milk), and more. Whether you're a beginning or seasoned home cook, you'll be inspired to pump up the power of your pantry.
With detailed instruction on essential techniques, time commitments for each project (from 20 minutes to 2 hours to a weekend), and labeling and wrapping tips, "Can It, Bottle It, Smoke It" will help you get creative in the kitchen. So leave the grocery aisle's mass-produced packaging and mystery ingredients behind and join the urban homesteading revolution as you whip up a bevy of jars, bottles, and bags full of outstanding hand-labeled eats.  -- Publisher Marketing

Jamie Oliver's Meals in Minutes: A Revolutionary Approach to Cooking Good Food Fast

by Jamie Oliver    (Find this book)
I'm going to show you how to put a whole meal on the table in a matter of minutes! Not just one dish, a whole spread of beautiful things. If, like me, you love food and have hungry mouths to feed when you get home after a long day, then allow me to let you in on a totally revolutionary new way of cooking. In this book I'm going to show you how to make a complete meal in the time you'd normally spend on one dish. What you'll be able to achieve in 30 minutes or less will absolutely blow your mind. It's certainly blown mine! This is not about compromising on quality. It's about being organized, working fast, and using shortcuts and clever tricks to put insanely delicious plates of food on the table in no time. Each of the 50 meals inside has been carefully written so there's no messing about-just good, fast cooking. I've created complete menus of foods that go beautifully together and planned recipes in a really unique, easy-to-follow way. This kind of cooking is all about using every minute wisely, having fun, and reclaiming your kitchen for the job it was meant for. You might think it can't be done, but I promise you it can. Have a look inside to see the sort of meals you're going to get. Once you start cooking this way, not only will you absolutely love it; you'll never look back.  -- Publisher Marketing

Joanne Fluke's Lake Eden Cookbook

by Joanne Fluke    (Find this book)
Jam-packed with recipes from her beloved Hannah Swensen Mystery series, Fluke's most recent work is simply superb. Delores Swenson's 4th Annual Christmas Cookie Exchange luncheon is coming up, and her daughter Hannah, part owner of popular Lake Eden, Minnesota bakery and coffee house The Cookie Jar, is busy putting the last minute touches on her catering menu. While preparing the food, her phone rings with friends and luncheon guests requesting copies of Hannah's recipes. Everyone in town, it seems, believes she makes the best of everything and wants to learn her secrets. At the last moment, Hannah decides to make a quick recipe book for everyone at the party. Fluke uses her experience to guide readers through an afternoon with the gals, comparing notes on their favorite Hannah Swensen recipes and telling stories about friends--Andrea, a disaster in the kitchen; Winnie, who learned the true size of a cocktail the hard way; and Gladys, who, despite her best efforts, can't escape the Minnesota cold for a California dream. As the women skim through the cookbook together, their stories and the recipes meld with stunning ease. "Hannah's Notes" appear in each recipe, lending personality to simple instructions. Newcomers and longtime fans of Fluke will find plenty to enjoy in this latest dispatch from Lake Eden. The characters are incredibly lovable and the community quickly welcomes readers into a world of friends, fun, and of course food. (Oct.) Copyright 2012 Reed Business Information. -- Publishers Weekly

The Apple Lover's Cookbook

by Amy Traverso    (Find this book)
The Apple Lover's Cookbook celebrates the beauty of apples in all their delicious variety, taking you from the orchard to the kitchen with recipes both sweet (like Apple-Stuffed Biscuit Buns and Blue Ribbon Deep-Dish Apple Pie) and savory (like Cider-Brined Turkey and Apple Squash Gratin). It offers a full-color guide to fifty-nine apple varieties, with descriptions of their flavor, history, and, most important, how to use them in the kitchen. Amy Traverso also takes you around the country to meet farmers, cider makers, and apple enthusiasts. The one hundred recipes run the spectrum from cozy crisps and cobblers to adventurous fare like Cider-Braised Brisket or Apple-Gingersnap Ice Cream. In addition, Amy organizes apple varieties into cooking categories so that it's easy to choose the right fruit for any recipe. You'll know to use tart Northern Spy in your pies and Fuji in delicate cakes. The Apple Lover's Cookbook is the ultimate apple companion.  -- Publisher Marketing